Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County Utilities is requesting the public's help to find the individual(s) involved in thefts across the county.
The county's utility has partnered with police to investigate missing water meter lids throughout the area.
Currently, WSFC utilities estimate nearly 40 lids have been stolen.
The motive behind the bizarre crime is still unclear. The county said vendors are on the lookout if thieves try selling the cast iron lids for scrap metal.
"This is a huge cost for us because we do not have these boxes in stock anymore. They tend to be in different shapes and they're not available. We're gonna have to dig out the existing box and replace them with new boxes," WSFC utility spokesperson Gale Ketteler said.
The county said the goal is to find all the lids. If they don't, it could cost up to $250 to replace each meter box.
One WSFC resident said she saw someone in her neighborhood but didn't realize what they were doing.
"I thought it was the city because they've had a lot of workers around here changing pipes and stuff," Brenda Alves said. "The driver grabbed the lid and went back to the car and I noticed there was someone in the backseat as well."
WSFC said several areas of the county have been affected including, Marble, Bretton, Waterbury, and Pleasant Street. WFMY News 2 saw rows of water meter lids taken off properties and sidewalks on those streets.
Currently, the city has not recovered any lids. Police said crime like this can result in fines and multiple charges, including misdemeanor larceny.
As of now, police have made no arrests and believe a red pickup truck is involved.
"The general public is not allowed to tamper with water infrastructure. No one who is unauthorized is allowed to temper with the fire hydrant or with a water heater. This is illegal," Ketteler said.
WSFC Utility statement:
If individuals witness suspicious activity involving a water meter, please report it to WSPD by calling 336-773-7700. If a water meter box lid has already been stolen, submit a tip via the WSPD Text-A-Tip Program at 336-276-1717 or file a report online. In addition, notify WSFC Utilities through CityLink using any method at cityofws.org/citylink.